Dana Dill, 90, of New Sharon plays the New Sharon Congregational Church pipe organ Thursday as fellow members Leona Carpentier, 70, of Vienna, centre, and her sister, Glenda Raymond, 67, of New Sharon watch. “It still will work,” Dill stated of the instrument mounted in 1912. The church, a different setting up and the house will be auctioned July 16. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
NEW SHARON — Longtime associates of the New Sharon Congregational Church are coming to terms with auctioning the place where they have worshiped, wed and watched their young children, grandchildren and wonderful-grandchildren become component of the congregation.
The church and an adjacent developing named the “little church,” and more than an acre of land at 21 Cape Cod Hill Street will be sold on internet site at 10 a.m. July 16. An open up home will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday.
Leona (Fitch) Carpentier, 70, of Vienna doesn’t want to consider about it. She attended the church as a youngster, was married there and has been a member for decades.
The New Sharon Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, and the “little church” setting up and home will be auctioned on site July 16. With the getting old membership down to eight, it has grow to be challenging to preserve the costs compensated. Donna M. Perry/Sunlight Journal
She remembers when she was about 4 a long time old she utilized to sit in a again pew with her spouse and children in the “big church” and swing her legs from time to time and hit the underside of the pew. Her mother would location her hand gently on her leg and Carpentier explained she knew it was time to halt.
Carpentier and her sister, Glenda (Fitch) Raymond, 67, of New Sharon grew up heading to the church. They were in the junior choir, the senior choir and associated in other church functions. Her kids also went to the church.
Dana Dill, 90, of New Sharon, originally from Phillips, and his late spouse, Jessie, were married in the church in 1956. He has been a member for about 50 yrs. His kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren also attended.
The associates fondly recalled Vacation Bible College plans and Christmas pageants and sorted by way of some of the costumes continue to on the premises.
The church was recognized in 1801 and burned in 1843.
The brick church was developed in the late 1840s and put on the Nationwide Sign up of Historic Areas in 1985. The smaller church, which has seven rooms, was built in the early 1840s.
The pipe organ was installed in 1912 as a pump organ and afterwards electrified.
As membership dwindled, it obtained more durable and more challenging to retain the church going, Carpentier stated.
There are just 8 users still left.
Leona Carpentier of Vienna, still left, Dana Dill of New Sharon and Carpentier’s sister, Glenda Raymond of New Sharon, stand Thursday in the New Sharon Congregational Church on Cape Cod Hill Highway. With no pastor for the earlier 10 a long time and only eight users, the congregation is marketing the assets at auction on July 16. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
For the past 10 years, members have taken turns major products and services simply because there was no pastor.
“We are not dissolving,” Raymond claimed. “We basically didn’t have the folks to retain the properties or spend a minister.”
“Everyone wears as lots of hats as essential,” Carpentier said.
Dill is a deacon, Carpentier is the clerk and Raymond is the treasurer.
Carpentier, Raymond, Dill and other folks labored tricky to keep the church heading and fork out the bills. Dill’s son, David Dill, has aided manage the structures, Raymond mentioned.
They held baked bean takeout meals that drew up to 70 at a time and aided with finances. When the pandemic strike, they had to quit.
Leona Carpentier of Vienna, still left, her sister, Glenda Raymond, and Dana Dill, equally of New Sharon, stand Thursday on the ramp of the “little church ” beside the New Sharon Congregational Church, track record, on Cape Cod Hill Street in New Sharon. The two structures and the residence are getting auctioned July 16. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
Raymond claimed the Rev. Marcia Charles, a previous pastor, explained to members “we hadn’t failed but we done our mission.”
“It is a challenging decision,” Raymond claimed.
The New Sharon Congregational Church at 21 Cape Cod Hill Street in New Sharon will be auctioned off July 16. Membership has dwindled to 8, building it tough to finance operations. Donna M. Perry/Sunshine Journal
Customers held numerous meetings starting off in Might 2021 and signed an arrangement with Adrian Harris Genuine Estate, Appraisals and Auctions to provide the property this earlier fall.
Carpentier mentioned proceeds from the sale will go to charities, the Maine Convention of the United Church of Christ, or possibly a combination.
“It is quite unfortunate. This is not quick,” she reported.
“It is really difficult,” Raymond additional. “It has been really a course of action.”
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